A Good Match
by ariel2me
Summary: For a prompt on tumblr: Stannis hears his parents discussing possible matches for Robert, and asks his mother who he will marry. Bonus points if he also asks his father.


"Isn't she too young still? A child, not a young woman," Mother was saying, frowning.

"Yes, she is still a child now. But we are not talking about a formal betrothal, not yet anyway. Only an understanding between us and Rickard Stark," Father replied. "Once she has come of age, then the betrothal can be formalized."

"Robert is too young for a betrothal, formal or not. What if he has his eyes on another woman, in the meantime?" Mother asked. Stannis knew the worries swirling around in her mind. Robert already had eyes for other women. Many women, in fact. Mother was aware of that fact, but Stannis suspected that Father was not.

Father was smiling. "I wouldn't worry about that. I have asked Robert about this. He is very pleased about the prospect of the betrothal. It seems that Ned Stark has been telling Robert all about his sister. Robert is very enamored of the girl. And you know how fond Robert is of Ned. He sees this as a way of sealing their friendship. They would be brother-in-law, not just childhood companions."

Ned. Ned. Ned. Always Ned. The boy fostered with Robert at the Eyrie. Robert would not shut up about him, in his letters and in person. And now Father is talking about Ned too, Stannis grumbled silently. He must be the best boy who ever lived, judging from the way Robert spoke of him. And his sister the best girl who ever lived. Damn all the Starks, Stannis thought.

Mother closed her eyes in irritation. "He's enamored with a child. No, it's worse, enamored with stories about a child. Stories from a brother who must be biased in her favor. Robert has never met this Lyanna Stark in person."

Father moved closer to Mother, taking one of her hands and kissing her forehead. The sight embarrassed Stannis greatly, who looked away immediately. "You had never met me either, when your father first spoke of our betrothal," Father was saying.

The frown lines on Mother's forehead disappeared swiftly. She was smiling, the special smile reserved only for Father, and only for certain occasions. Like when they are kissing, Stannis thought, and before he could banish that thought, his parents were actually kissing. He did not look away this time; he watched them, transfixed by the intimacy.

"I might not have met you, but I had been watching you from afar for a long time," Mother said, after the kiss was over.

"As did I," Father said, his hand playing with Mother's hair. "Don't worry, Cassana," he said. "It is only an understanding, nothing binding. Until the betrothal is actually formalized, we are free to change our mind, as is Lord Stark. That was the deal we made."

Mother sighed. "Hard to believe that we're actually talking about Robert's marriage. It seems like it was only yesterday that he was a howling red-faced babe in my arms."

Father smiled. "He did make a lot of noise, Robert. He has the lungs of a fighter, that's what your father said, remember?"

Mother did not smile at the mention of her father. "And soon it will be Stannis' turn. We need to think about his marriage too."

The smile faded from Father's face. Stannis was not surprised. The smile always faded from Father's face when the topic turned to him. Mother's too.

"It is harder, of course, for a second son. To arrange a good match for him," Father said.

"And harder still for Renly, the third son," Mother replied.

Father was smiling again. "Oh Renly! We have years and years still until we have to worry about a match for him." He frowned slightly. "Stannis, on the other hand … Stannis …."

Mother nodded, as if she already knew what Father was going to say. Stannis what? Stannis was shouting silently. Please, Father, finish what you were about to say.

But his mother had noticed Stannis standing near the door. "Stannis?" She said just the one word, softly, but Stannis knew what she was really asking. How long have you been standing there? How much did you hear? Stannis did not dare look his mother in the eyes. She would know. She always knew.

"The master-at-arms said the sword you wanted made for Robert is done, Father. He asked if you would like to see it," Stannis said to his father.

Father smiled. "Excellent. Just in time for Robert arriving home in a few days. Would you like to see the sword, Stannis?"

Stannis had no interest to see Robert's sword, but leaving with Father was a better option than confronting his mother's penetrating gaze. "Yes, Father," he said eagerly.

There were in fact two swords, not one. Maybe Father is worried Robert might break it, Stannis thought, reckless as Robert is. But he could already see Robert's excitement, not to mention eagerness to try the swords. He did not scoff at that thought. Loathed as he was to admit it, Stannis had missed Robert's enthusiastic fervor for everything and anything that caught his interest. Storm's End was a quieter and even gloomier place without Robert around.

Mother and Father must miss having Robert around too, Stannis thought. He was a poor substitute for his brother, he knew.

"What do you think, Stannis?" His father was asking him, his hand caressing the blade of one of the swords.

"It looks very sharp, Father," Stannis replied, solemn.

His father laughed. "Yes, it does. And it is very sharp, and very well-made. Do you like it?"

"The important thing is whether Robert will like it." Stannis replied, then hesitated.

"And you don't think he will?" Father was asking, his expression serious.

"Not this one," Stannis said. "It's too simple, not quite Robert's taste. The other one, I am sure he will love that," Stannis continued, pointing to the sword with the exquisite and detailed carvings.

"But you prefer the simpler one, don't you?" Father asked.

Stannis nodded. His father was grinning. "I do know my sons after all." He handed over the sword he was holding to Stannis. "Take it. This one is yours." Stannis was speechless. "It's time you have your own sword. The master-at-arms said you are making great progress in your training," Father continued.

"Thank you, Father," Stannis said gravely. He was very pleased, but as usual, no one could have known that from his expression or his tone of voice.

His father looked slightly puzzled, and almost disappointed. "Would you have preferred the same sword as Robert's?" He asked Stannis. "Perhaps it is not quite fair of me to commission different types of swords for you and Robert."

"No, Father," Stannis replied swiftly. "I like this one. Very much."

His father did not seem entirely convinced, but he must have decided to let the matter rest. "Well, when Robert gets home, we'll see how much he has learned from Lord Arryn's master-at-arms."

"He wrote in his letter that he has been practicing every day, with Ned Stark," Stannis said. Something in his tone must have caught his father's attention. Father was looking at him the way Mother sometimes did, as if they were trying to get into his head and read his thoughts. Stannis fidgeted and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Why is it harder to arrange a good match for a second son?" He blurted out, to stop Father from staring at him that way.

It was his father's turn to look uncomfortable. He cleared his throat a few times, let out a few "Well, you see …", before finally answering Stannis' question. "It has to do with inheritance. You … you know what I mean, don't you?"

"Robert will inherit Storm's End and become the lord of the Stormlands after you, because he is the eldest son," Stannis replied.

His father looked relieved. "Good, yes. And … well, if you are a daughter from one of the Great Houses, your father is more likely to arrange a match with someone who will inherit the title, castle and land. The first son, rather than the second or third or the rest." He paused. "It does seem rather unfair, but they have to think about their daughter's future, these lords."

"Is that what a good match is, Father? A match with someone from one of the Great Houses?" Stannis asked. He frowned, puzzling over a mystery. "Why didn't you make a good match, then? You were the first … no … the only son, but you did not marry someone from one of the Great Houses."

Father hemmed and hawed, and let out a long sigh. He seemed slightly irritated that Stannis had asked that question. Stannis was cursing himself. He was always asking strange and peculiar questions, Robert had said.

"You enjoy making people feel uncomfortable and awkward," Robert had accused him.

There was no truth in that at all, Stannis had protested, but Robert had ignored him. Most of the time, he had no idea that the questions he was asking were in any way strange or peculiar. They seemed like perfectly valid and logical questions to Stannis.

"It's all right, Father," Stannis said. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."

"It's not that I don't want to tell you," his father protested. "It's complicated, and difficult to explain."

You were in love, Stannis thought. You married Mother because you loved her. But he did not say this to his father, afraid that it would only increase his father's exasperation with him.

But he did ask his mother later. Unlike Father, she was not irritated or uncomfortable with the question. She laughed. "Why, Stannis, do you think I am not a good enough match for your father?" She asked, her eyes twinkling.

"You are not from one of the Great Houses," Stannis replied. "Father said that is what a good match is."

His mother rolled her eyes. "That is … one view."

"Father must have loved you very much, to forgo a good match," Stannis said.

Mother smiled, but she said nothing.

"Who will I marry?" Stannis asked. Who would want to marry me? That was the question he really wanted to ask.

"Someone who loves you, I hope," Mother replied. "And someone you love," she added, but more hesitantly.


End file.
